Former boxing world champion Graciano "Rocky" Rocchigiani died on Tuesday in Italy after being hit by a car.

According to Bild newspaper, Rocchigiani was walking as a pedestrian in Italy when he was run over by a car and killed. 

The 54-year-old won the IBF super-middleweight championship title in 1988 and 10 years later secured the WBC light-heavyweight title. Born to an Italian metalworker in Germany, "Rocky" won 41 times in 48 professional matches. Nineteen wins were by KO.

Bild reported that the German boxing legend had an Italian girlfriend with whom he had two children, and that he had regularly traveled between the two countries. 

In recent years Rocchigiani worked as a boxing commentator and coach. 

German boxer Deniz Ilbay, a six-time welterweight boxing champion, expressed shock and sadness on Twitter.